Episode 1166
by Cristae“This is why knights! They don’t know what matters at all!”
“Grkkk (I agree).”
“Keep your voices down. This is the North, and in the very den of the knights.”
Among the black magicians here, the most moderate were the Kalarogard black magicians.
Of course, they too would “reluctantly” go along if the Moradi family sealed off the North.
If the knights were sealing the North, it would be bad form for mere black magicians to take the lead. As magicians, it was proper to show respect to the northern knights.
“How can we persuade the Patriarch?”
“To seal the North? I don’t think that’s possible…”
“This is why I said we shouldn’t invite those Kalarogard guys! Such cowardly, weak youngsters!”
“Grkrrrk (True enough).”
The Empire’s black magicians fell into two broad categories.
One consisted of relatively normal types—timid, antisocial, and constantly muttering, ‘Why is the black magic school unpopular and poor?’ but otherwise doing little harm.
They sometimes dug up graves to steal corpses or made illegal chimeras without permission, but considering the average for magicians, that wasn’t so bad.
The other category was those trying to carry on the tradition and pride of old black magic—timid, antisocial, constantly muttering about unpopularity and poverty, but also causing serious trouble.
In this gathering, Kalarogard and the Black Obsidian Tower were the former, while the Ahrak’s descendants and the Legion of Oondorgu were the latter.
Naturally, the latter group disliked the moderate talkers.
If anything, they should be pushing even harder together!
“Actually, the Kalarogard black magicians are right. And don’t forget that when you guys cause trouble, we’re the ones left cleaning up after you.”
“Hmph. Who asked you to take responsibility?”
“Grkkk (Right).”
“Hah. You’d be bawling and begging if you were told to rot in Imperial prison forever; what a show-off…”
“Say that again! I have apologized to Gonadaltes before, but I never cried. That’s a baseless rumor—Gonadaltes spread that rumor!”
“Clclcl (It gets funnier every time).”
“Enough! Please, can’t everyone stop!”
Professor Taswhan, who had led the Kalarogard black magicians, waved both arms and tried to quell the dispute.
Taswhan wasn’t someone to be treated badly among black magicians, but unfortunately, he was junior to all the others here.
With the entire Legion of Oondorgu being undead, that went without saying, and the Ahrak’s descendants were all monsters who had lived for over a century…
“What do you mean ‘enough’? Is this brat looking down on me? Even if Gonadaltes does, do you dare think so too?”
“Grkkk (Insolent whelp).”
“Professor Taswhan, they were the rude ones first. We have no reason to stop.”
“……”
In the end, the black magicians argued for another 20 minutes.
After all the swearing and criticism, the magicians pulled themselves together and got to the main issue.
“So, sealing the North is impossible? Really? Are you all aware we have to contact that old hag? Sealing is essential for that!”
The third of Ahrak’s descendants (they identified themselves by number rather than name) spoke in a subdued voice.
But his resolve hadn’t lessened. He clearly intended to find what he wanted, even if it meant sealing off the North.
The being just mentioned was “the Wisest and Most Cantankerous Old Hag.”
She was the extra-dimensional being every black magician here longed to meet, and was the most likely root of the current northern disturbance.
“Something of the Old Hag’s has definitely fallen somewhere in the North. Otherwise, these monsters and phenomena can’t be explained.”
Surging numbers of monsters, bizarre natural phenomena.
Even seeing just these results, a skilled magician could deduce the cause.
These monsters and magical events must be tied to the Old Hag, who was a master of both the most mysterious and the most bizarre black magics!
…Or else, maybe an escaped magical criminal black magician was rampaging somewhere.
The black magicians here sincerely hoped for the former.
The former meant they could seek the Old Hag’s secret black magic wisdom, the latter would only get them pelted with rotten eggs by northern folk for being black magicians.
“If some random layman finds the mark and takes it to another part of the Empire? Think of the damage! And in the worst-case scenario, another magician could get it and ask the Old Hag for secrets of some other kind of magic instead of black magic.”
“……”
“……”
The Black Obsidian Tower and Kalarogard black magicians decided to pretend they hadn’t heard that.
Sometimes statements like that made them understand why Imperial citizens hated black magicians.
‘Damn, it’s not fair. I hate that person too.’
Taswhan tried to change the subject by force.
“But, everyone, have you prepared a way to question the Old Hag?”
As mentioned, the Old Hag’s full title was “the Wisest and Most Cantankerous Old Hag.”
Among the eccentric and strange entities of other dimensions, being called “cantankerous” meant you really were difficult.
Such a being wouldn’t just hand out answers for returning a lost mark—“How admirable, ask what you wish, child.”
Returning the lost mark merely got you access.
Afterward, it was up to the black magicians to persuade and coax their desired answers.
In truth, just securing contact was an extremely valuable and rare privilege.
The Old Hag didn’t usually allow mortals to meet her.
And if that weren’t the case, no black magicians would be talking about sealing or not sealing the North like this.
They’d just prepare offerings and go straight to her…
“We’re ready.”
“Grkkk (Of course we are).”
“We’re prepared as well.”
“…?!”
Taswhan and the Kalarogard magicians were taken aback.
What?
‘Are we the only ones who didn’t prepare?!’
The reason they hadn’t was simple.
They’d been warned by the Skull Headmaster in the past.
-How can you ask the Old Hag a question?
-Yes.
-Don’t ask.
-……
-You’re working hard, preparing sacrifices and such to please her, aren’t you?
-Yes… we were.
-Don’t do that.
-……
-I’m serious. Don’t. She wouldn’t even meet brats like you. And if you ever do get involved, be polite, humble—don’t get cocky and start spouting questions. Magicians like me are weird enough to answer foolish questions; not every great magician is like that.
-Oh. Yes. Yes.
-Only say yes once more. Otherwise I’ll curse your soul to sneeze every time you speak.
-…Sorry.
Annoying he might be, but the Skull Headmaster never gave wrong advice on magical or dimensional matters.
So the Kalarogard magicians had just planned to return the lost mark, not try to negotiate.
When their students looked at them in confusion, Taswhan shook his head.
“Don’t let it shake you. We haven’t even found the mark, and there’s no need to prepare for negotiations yet. The Old Hag is not something so easily encountered. Focus on searching first.”
“You lazy, weak brat, you are!”
“Grkkk (With that attitude, why even be a black magician).”
“Wouldn’t it be better to prepare just in case?”
“……”
Taswhan wanted to just scrap cooperation and walk away.
Black magicians, honestly!
“Wait. Now that I think about it, didn’t someone say guests from Einrogard were coming?”
“Guests might come. So what?”
The second of Ahrak’s descendants retorted bluntly.
“Couldn’t they be Einrogard black magicians? They might have changed their mind…”
“No.”
“Why not? Maybe you invited them and they’re coming late.”
“Einrogard black magicians weren’t invited.”
“……”
“……”
“Grkkk (What kind of nonsense is that)?”
All the black magicians present were dumbfounded at the words of Ahrak’s descendants.
What on earth did they mean?
“I-I’m pretty sure you said you sent an invitation…”
“That was a lie. We didn’t.”
“Why would you lie about something like that?!”
Taswhan cried out with a grave look.
This was not a matter to gloss over.
Even if Imperial black magicians were poor and bullied and quarreled among themselves, they usually didn’t deceive each other and were actually more cooperative than other schools. For someone to break that unity through such a petty trick—
No matter how desperate they were for the Old Hag’s wisdom, that was not right. What would Einrogard’s black magicians think?
“Mortum’s that bastard keeps bragging about his disciple!”
The second of Ahrak’s descendants shouted furiously.
“I was trying to inform him, but all he does is talk about his disciple, bragging that things are so much easier these days thanks to her. Isn’t that infuriating? Let Einrogard have their precious disciple and learn black magic! The Old Hag is for us alone!”
The atmosphere instantly turned cold.
Surprisingly, some others sympathized a bit.
“Grkk (Mortum’s been overdoing it lately).”
“Even so, that’s a bit much…”
“Be honest, kid. You’re from a magic school too. Haven’t you ever simmered with envy at Mortum’s words? Haven’t you ever wondered why you don’t have such a gifted disciple?”
“N-never! Don’t misunderstand!”
Taswhan quickly reassured his students. His students behind him looked at him suspiciously.
Did he pause just now…?
“The Patriarch will meet you soon, so just relax until then.”
Giselle said as she got up to leave.
Then she turned as if remembering something for Lee Han.
“Wardanaz, don’t wander around. Especially don’t interact with any knights.”
“It’s not my fault the knights are getting stronger Einrogard style…”
“Moradi’s already gone, Wardanaz.”
Lee Han grumbled as he returned to his quarters.
The Moradi stronghold, with its dense facilities clustered atop a jagged mountain, always offered a spectacular view for guests.
But this time, there was no time to enjoy the northern scenery. Lee Han pulled the tablet from his bag.
Catten, sharing the double room, looked over with sparkling eyes.
“Are you going to research magic?”
“Oh. Yes, that’s right.”
“May I assist you?”
“It would be an honor.”
Lee Han had pulled out the tablet both to save precious time and out of curiosity.
A magician as great as Baquantalana—so why black magic in particular?
‘Ah. That was a rude thought. Direte would be so sad.’
Lee Han shook his head in self-reflection.
As a black magic school member himself, he had to stop reflexively looking down on black magic.
“Could you tell me which script here you can read?”
“Baquantalana’s, black magic.”
“…That’s the script I wrote.”
There were few who couldn’t read the standard Imperial script.
“Other than that, I don’t see anything…”
As Catten’s ears drooped, Lee Han cried out quickly,
“It’s fine! I’ll interpret it, so please just watch from behind, Senior.”
Seeing Catten smile again, Lee Han felt a sense of déjà vu.
‘This is how it felt teaching Gainando his assignments…’
De…l…n…ya
“?”
Lee Han looked around. He felt like he’d heard a faint, ghostly echo.
It sounded like an old woman’s voice…
‘Am I imagining things?’